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Ukuhlolwa Kwelizwe LaseKhenani
1 UThixo wathi kuMosi, 2 “Thuma amadoda athile ukuba ayehlola ilizwe laseKhenani, engilinika abako-Israyeli. Kusendo ngalunye lwesizwe thuma umkhokheli oyedwa.”
3 Ngakho ngokulaya kukaThixo uMosi wabakhupha labo enkangala yePharani. Bonke babengabakhokheli bako-Israyeli.
4 Nanka amabizo abo:
esizweni sikaRubheni, kwakunguShamuwa indodana kaZakhuri;
5 esizweni sikaSimiyoni, kwakunguShafathi indodana kaHori;
6 esizweni sikaJuda, kwakunguKhalebi indodana kaJefune;
7 esizweni sika-Isakhari, kwakungu-Igali indodana kaJosefa;
8 esizweni sika-Efrayimi, kwakunguHosheya indodana kaNuni;
9 esizweni sikaBhenjamini, kwakunguPhalithi indodana kaRafu;
10 esizweni sikaZebhuluni, kwakunguGadiyeli indodana kaSodi;
11 esizweni sikaManase (owesizwe sikaJosefa), kwakunguGadi indodana kaSusi;
12 esizweni sikaDani, kwakungu-Amiyeli indodana kaGemali;
13 esizweni sika-Asheri, kwakunguSethuri indodana kaMikhayeli;
14 esizweni sikaNafithali, kwakunguNabhi indodana kaVofisi;
15 esizweni sikaGadi, kwakunguGewuweli indodana kaMakhi.
16 La ngamabizo alawomadoda athunywa nguMosi ukuyahlola ilizwe. (UMosi wetha uHosheya indodana kaNuni ibizo elithi Joshuwa.)
17 Ekubathumeni kwakhe ukuyahlola ilizwe laseKhenani, uMosi wathi kubo, “Hambani liye eNegebi likhuphukele elizweni lezintaba. 18 Likhangele ukuthi ilizwe lakhona linjani njalo lokuthi abantu bakhona balamandla kumbe babuthakathaka, balutshwana kumbe banengi. 19 Ilizwe abahlala kulo linjani? Lihle na loba libi? Amadolobho abahlala kuwo anjani? Agonjolozelwe ngemiduli loba asegcekeni nje? 20 Umhlabathi wakhona unjani? Uvundile na loba ulugwadule? Langabe lilezihlahla loba hayi? Yenzani ubungcono benu libuye lezinye zezithelo zakulelolizwe.” (Kwakuyisikhathi sokuvuthwa kwezithelo zakuqala zevini.)
21 Ngakho bahamba ukuyahlola ilizwe besukela eNkangala yaseZini kuze kuyefika eRehobhi, ngokuya eLebho Hamathi. 22 Bahamba-ke badabula eNegebi baze bayafika eHebhroni, lapho okwakuhlala khona u-Ahimani, loSheshayi kanye loThalimayi, izizukulwane zika-Anakhi. (IHebhroni yakhiwa iminyaka eyisikhombisa kungakakhiwa idolobho laseZowani eGibhithe.) 23 Bathi befika esihotsheni sase-Eshikholi baquma ugatsha olwalulesixha sezithelo zevini. Ababili babo basithwala besigaxe egodweni ndawonye lamaphomegranathi kanye lomkhiwa. 24 Lindawo yabizwa ngokuthi yisihotsha sase-Eshikholi ngenxa yesixha sezithelo zevini esaqunywa khona ngabako-Israyeli. 25 Ngemva kwensuku ezingamatshumi amane zokuhlola ilizwe inhloli zabuyela emuva.
Umbiko Mayelana Lokuhlolwa Kwelizwe
26 Babuyela kuMosi lo-Aroni lakuso sonke isizwe sako-Israyeli eKhadeshi, enkangala yasePharani. Babikela uMosi lo-Aroni kanye labo bonke abako-Israyeli njalo batshengisa lezithelo zakulelolizwe. 27 Balandisela uMosi bathi: “Sihambile elizweni lelo obukade usithume kulo, ngempela ligeleza uchago loluju! Nanzi izithelo zalo. 28 Kodwa abantu abahlala khona balamandla kanti lamadolobho akhona makhulu njalo avikelwe. Size sabona lezizukulwane zika-Anakhi khonale. 29 Ama-Amaleki ahlala eNegebi; amaHithi, lamaJebusi lama-Amori bahlala elizweni lezintaba, amaKhenani wona ahlala eduzane lolwandle esekele umfula uJodani.”
30 Emva kwalokho uKhalebi wathulisa abantu phambi kukaMosi wasesithi, “Kufanele ukuthi sihambe siyethatha ilizwe leli libe ngelethu, ngoba singakwenza sibili.”
31 Kodwa amadoda lawo ayehambe laye athi, “Asingeke sibahlasele abantu labo; balamandla kulathi.” 32 Basebetshela abantu bako-Israyeli umbiko omubi ngelizwe ababelihlolile. Bathi, “Ilizwe esilihlolileyo liyabagabhela labantu abahlala kulo. Bonke abantu esibabone khonale yiziqhwaga. 33 Sibone khona amaNefilimi (isizukulwane sika-Anakhi sivela kumaNefilimi.) Emehlweni ethu besingangentethe phambi kwabo, lasemehlweni abo besinjalo.”